Multi-joining system

Abstract

A template holding jig for holding a template for use with a router for routing a workpiece is provided. The holding jig may also be part of a workpiece joining jig that includes a plurality of templates. The template holding jig includes a template support, a workpiece support and a template guide. The template support defines a template support plane. The workpiece support defines a workpiece support plane extending perpendicular to the template support plane. The template guide defines at least one abutment preventing motion of a template located on the template support parallel to a first axis being parallel to the workpiece support plane and parallel to the template support plane. The at least one abutment permits motion of the template parallel to a second axis being orthogonal to the workpiece support plane and perpendicular to the first axis and parallel to the template support plane.

1 . A template holding jig for holding a template for use with a router for routing a workpiece, the template holding jig being mounted to a worksurface of a workbench, the template holding jig comprising:
 a base having a bottom face for resting on the worksurface;   a template support for supporting a template, the template support being spaced apart from the base;   a first sidewall frame extending between the template support and base;   a first side panel having a first face, the first side panel transitionable between a open state in which the first face is aligned with the bottom face and a closed state wherein the first face is not aligned with the bottom face;   a second sidewall frame extending between the template support and base, the second sidewall frame being laterally spaced apart from the first sidewall frame;   a second side panel having a second face, the second side panel transitionable between an open state in which the second face is aligned with the bottom face and the first face and a closed state wherein the second face is not aligned with the bottom face;   a workpiece support extending orthogonal to the template support and between the first sidewall frame and the second sidewall frame.   
     
     
         2 . The template holding jig of  claim 1 , the first side panel is selectively fixable in the closed state relative to the first sidewall frame with a first closing arrangement and the second side panel is selectively fixable in the closed state relative to the second sidewall frame with a second closing arrangement. 
     
     
         3 . The template holding jig of  claim 2  wherein the first and second closing arrangements each comprise:
 a first eyelet on a first side of the sidewall frame; 
 a second eyelet located on an opposite second side of the sidewall frame; 
 a hollow cylinder located on an end of the side panel; 
 a closing pin; 
 wherein the closing pin extends through the second eyelet, the hollow cylinder, and through the first eyelet to fix the corresponding side panel to the corresponding sidewall frame in the closed state; 
 wherein each closing pin includes a first arm and a second arm extending from the first arm at an angle, the first arm extending through the first and second eyelets and hollow cylinder when in the closed state; 
 further comprising a retainer located on each of the first and second sidewall frames; and 
 wherein the second arm is snap fit into the retainer to secure the closing pin in the first and second eyelets and the hollow cylinder; 
 wherein the closing pin rotates about the first arm to snap engage the second arm within the retainer. 
 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The template holding jig of  claim 1 , wherein the first side panel is pivotably connected to the base with a first hinge arrangement and the second side panel is pivotably connected to the base with a second hinge arrangement. 
     
     
         6 . The template holding arrangement of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the first hinge arrangement and the second hinge arrangement each comprise:   a channel at a second end of the side panel;   a pin operably secured to the base and extending generally parallel to the bottom of the base;   wherein the pin is seated in the channel, the side panel being free to pivot about the pin between the open and closed states while maintaining the pivotal connection between the side panel and the base;   wherein:   the first sidewall frame defines a first side panel receiving opening that receives the first side panel to a greater extent when the first side panel is in the closed state as compared to when the first side panel is in the open state; and   the second sidewall frame defines a second side panel receiving opening that receives the second side panel to a greater extent when the second side panel is in the closed state as compared to when the second side panel is in the open state.   
     
     
         7 . The template holding jig of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first sidewall frame defines a first side panel receiving opening that receives the first side panel to a greater extent when the first side panel is in the closed state as compared to when the first side panel is in the open state; and   the second sidewall frame defines a second side panel receiving opening that receives the second side panel to a greater extent when the second side panel is in the closed state as compared to when the second side panel is in the open state.   
     
     
         8 . The template holding jig of  claim 7 , wherein
 the bottom, first face, and second face are coplanar when in the open state;   wherein the base defines a flat plane and wherein the flat plane is coplanar with the first face and the second face in the open state;   wherein in the closed state,   a first closing arrangement selectively secures a first end of the first side panel to the first sidewall frame when in the closed state;   a second closing arrangement selectively secures a first end of the second side panel to the second sidewall frame;   a first hinge arrangement pivotably connects a second end of the first side panel to the base;   a second hinge arrangement pivotably connects a second end of the second side panel to the base.   
     
     
         9 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The template holding jig of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a template guide defining at least one abutment preventing motion of the template located on the template support parallel to a first axis being parallel to the workpiece support plane defined by the workpiece support and parallel to a template support plane defined by the template support but permitting motion of the template parallel to a second axis being orthogonal to the workpiece support plane and perpendicular to the first axis and parallel to the template support plane; 
 a third axis being parallel to the workpiece support plane and perpendicular to the first and second axes; 
 a first channel defined by the workpiece support, the first channel being T-shaped in cross section, the first channel extending parallel to the first axis; 
 a second channel defined by the workpiece support, the second channel being T-shaped in cross section, the second channel extending parallel to the first sidewall; 
 wherein the first channel is spaced apart from the second channel in a direction along the third axis. 
 
     
     
         12 . The template holding jig of  claim 11 , further comprising a clamp for clamping a workpiece to the template support, the clamp mounted to the workpiece support with at least one fastener for selectively fixing the position of the clamp relative to the workpiece support, the at least one fastener having a head portion received in the first or the second channel, the head portion sized to limit rotation of the head portion within the first or the second channel but permitting axial sliding within the first or second channel parallel to the first axis. 
     
     
         13 . The template holding jig of  claim 12 , wherein the clamp is a workpiece side stop. 
     
     
         14 . The template holding jig of  claim 13 , wherein a threaded portion of the fastener extends from the head through the first workpiece stop;
 wherein a knob is threaded to the threaded portion of the fastener, the knob portion rotatable to move the knob in directions parallel to the second axis along the threaded portion to selectively fix the position of the first workpiece side stop between the knob and the workpiece support and rotatable to release the first workpiece side stop;   wherein the workpiece side stop is adjustably positionable parallel to the first axis along the workpiece support by rotating the head to loosen the fastener such that the fastener is moveable within the first channel or the second channel in directions parallel to the first axis, the workpiece stop moving with the fastener.   
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The template holding jig of  claim 13 , wherein the workpiece side stop defines at least one slot having a major axis and a minor axis, the workpiece side stop having a first orientation wherein the major axis of the at least one slot is aligned perpendicular to the first channel or the second channel and the at least one fastener extends through the at least one slot such that the workpiece side stop is movable in directions parallel to the third axis to selectively fix the workpiece side stop;
 wherein the workpiece side stop has a second orientation wherein the major axis of the at least on slot is aligned parallel to the first channel or the second channel such that the workpiece stop is moveable in directions parallel to the first axis along the workpiece support without having to move the at least one fastener in the same directions;   further comprising:   a second slot spaced apart and extending parallel to the at least one slot;   a second fastener for selectively fixing the workpiece side stop together with the at least one fastener;   wherein the head of the first fastener is in the first channel and the second fastener has a head in the first or the second channel, the second fastener extending through the second slot, the second fastener having a second threaded portion received in a knob of the second fastener;   wherein the second fastener is moveable within the first channel or the second channel in directions parallel to the first axis to move the workpiece stop in directions parallel to the first axis;   further comprising:   a second slot spaced apart and extending parallel to the at least one slot;   a second fastener for selectively fixing the workpiece side stop together with the at least one fastener;   wherein the head of the first fastener is in the first channel and the second fastener has a second head in the second channel, the second fastener extending through the second slot and having a second threaded portion received in a second knob.   
     
     
         17 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The template holding jig of  claim 1 , further comprising a miter fence with at least one clamp for clamping a workpiece to the template support for routing the workpiece, the miter fence mounted to the workpiece support with at least one fastener for selectively fixing the position of the miter fence relative to the workpiece support, the at least one fastener having a head portion in the first or the second channel. 
     
     
         21 . The template holding jig of  claim 20 , the fastener extending from the head portion through a first slot of the miter fence, wherein a threaded portion of the fastener is received in a knob portion, the knob portion removable from the threaded portion and rotatable to move the knob in directions parallel to the second axis to selectively fix the position of the miter fence between the knob and the workpiece support;
 wherein the miter fence is movable in directions parallel to the third axis to selectively fix the miter fence to the workpiece support;   wherein the miter fence has a second slot extending along a same axis as a major axis of the first slot, the first slot receiving a first fastener extending from the first channel and the second slot receiving a second fastener extending from the second channel.   
     
     
         22 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A workpiece joining jig assembly comprising:
 a template holding jig for holding a template for use with a router for routing a workpiece, the template holding jig comprising:
 a template support defining a template support plane; 
 a workpiece support defining a workpiece support plane extending perpendicular to the template support plane; 
 a template guide defining at least one abutment preventing motion of the template located on the template support parallel to a first axis being parallel to the workpiece support plane and parallel to the template support plane but permitting motion of the template parallel to a second axis being orthogonal to the workpiece support plane and perpendicular to the first axis and parallel to the template support plane; 
   a template attachment attaching a template to the template support and preventing movement of the template in directions parallel to a third axis, the third axis being parallel to the workpiece support plane and perpendicular to the first and the second axes;   a micro-adjustment arrangement connecting the template support to the template;   wherein the micro-adjustment arrangement is actuatable to provide a force orthogonal to the workpiece support plane and parallel to the second axis to move the template in directions parallel to the second axis.   
     
     
         25 . The workpiece joining jig assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the micro-adjustment arrangement comprises:
 a micro-adjustment abutment wall defining a receptacle;   a micro-adjustment threaded screw having a head at a first end seated in the receptacle and a threaded second end threadingly engaged with the template.   
     
     
         26 . The workpiece joining jig assembly of  claim 25 , wherein rotation of the micro-adjustment threaded screw in a first rotational direction moves the template in a first linear direction parallel to the second axis and rotation of the micro-adjustment threaded screw in a second rotational direction that is opposite the first rotational direction moves the template in a second linear direction opposite to the first linear direction and parallel to the second axis,
 wherein the micro-adjustment abutment wall of the micro-adjustment arrangement is fixed to a side of the template support facing away from the workpiece support plane;   wherein the head of the micro-adjustment threaded screw has a first head portion and a second head portion axially spaced from the first head portion, where a groove is defined between the first and second head portions;   wherein the groove is received in a receptacle of the micro-adjustment abutment wall such that rotation in a first direction causes the first head portion top push against a first side of the abutment wall to generate a force on the template in a first linear direction and such that rotation in a second direction causes the second head portion to push against a second, opposite, side of the abutment wall to generate a force on the template in a second linear direction;   wherein the receptacle is u-shaped in cross section and is positioned offset from the template support plane along the third axis.   
     
     
         27 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The workpiece joining jig assembly of  claim 26 , the template attachment comprising:
 a first and a second slot defined in the template support and extending through a top surface of the template support and a bottom surface of the template support;   a first and a second template fastener, each first and second template fastener having a head sized to prevent its passing through the slots, the heads located on the bottom side of the template support;   a first and a second threaded hole provided by the template spaced to match a distance between the pair of slots;   wherein the first template fastener has a first threaded portion inserted from the bottom of the template support through the first slot and is threadingly received in the first threaded hole of the template to attach the template to the template support, the second template fastener has a second first threaded portion inserted from the bottom of the template support through the second slot and is threadingly received in the second threaded hole of the template to attach the template to the template support;   wherein the template attachment has a first state wherein the fasteners are threadingly received into the template such that the template is moveable in directions parallel to the second axis via a micro-adjustment arrangement;   wherein the template arrangement has a second state wherein the template is fixed and cannot move.   
     
     
         31 - 61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 - 67 . (canceled) 
     
     
         68 . A workpiece joining jig assembly comprising:
 a template holding jig for holding a template for use with a router for routing a workpiece, the template holding jig comprising:
 a template support defining a template support plane; 
 a workpiece support defining a workpiece support plane extending perpendicular to the template support plane; 
 a template attachment attaching a template to the template support; 
   a template providing a plurality of router guide regions extending through a top surface and a bottom surface of the template, the bottom surface of the template abutting the template guide;   wherein:
 the template support has a top that includes upward opening first and second upward grooves therein; 
 the template has first and second alignment projections, the first alignment projection extending into the first alignment groove and the second alignment projection extending into the second alignment groove. 
   
     
     
         69 . The workpiece joining jig assembly of  claim 68 , wherein the template is slidable relative to the template support along an axis perpendicular to the workpiece support plane while the first alignment projection is received in the first alignment groove and the second alignment projection is received in the second alignment groove. 
     
     
         70 . (canceled)